Unsated
by WonderFloof
Summary: Hawkmoth changes his tactics as new lines begin to emerge in the "love square." How will Marinette react when Adrien begins acting suspiciously out of character? Concept provided by Bluebelle Author 1600, in which akumatized Adrien seduces our innocent little Marinette :)
1. Chapter 1

**_This story was written at the request of BlueBelle Author 1600; the concept is hers, as much as I would love to take credit! Enjoy!_**

* * *

Chapter 1:

Marinette absent-mindedly let her pencil trace fluid arcs in her notebook as Mme Bustier continued the lesson on A Tale of Two Cities. She wouldn't be meeting Chat until later this evening, and Marinette pondered what to do with her free afternoon. She wasn't used to being _bored_. Her usually too-busy double life had been on the slow side for the last few months, as Hawkmoth seemed to become more choosey with his victims of late. While his strategy initially relied on sheer numbers, sometimes even akumatizing multiple victims in a single day, the villain now seemed to prefer quality over quantity. Most days passed by without incident, but when the rare akuma victim did appear, it would pose a considerable challenge. Even though she and Chat Noir had improved their skills with practice, she was finding it only more difficult to defeat the akumatized foes while protecting the miraculouses.

She giggled lightly to herself as an unexpected thought passed through her head: _I miss the days of Mr. Pigeon!_ She imagined Mr. Pigeon facing off against Mesmer, the opponent they had defeated a few days prior, whose powers of misdirection and illusion could alter reality with a wave of his hand. _"Roo, ca-roo!"_ Mr. Pigeon would say, as he happily leapt to his own death, flapping his hands in an attempt to fly away like the pigeon he thought he was. _Actually… Mesmer-ized Mr. Pigeon wouldn't behave all that differently than the real deal!_ Her laughter bubbled to the surface again.

Hearing Marinette laugh lightly behind him, Adrien glanced over his shoulder. He couldn't help but grin in seeing her, red in the face, trying to stifle laughter that seemed all the more eager to escape due to its inappropriateness in the quiet classroom.

"A-HEM." Mme Bustier cleared her throat loudly, startling Marinette out of her giggling fit. "Mademoiselle Dupain- Cheng, Monsieur Agreste… would you like to explain to the principal why you believe Mr. Carton's sacrifice is so amusing?"(*** _A/N:_ _see note at bottom if you're unfamiliar with the story!)_

Adrien whirled around to face front again, unaware that he had turned almost completely around.

"What? I'm sorry I… " Marinette froze as she noticed Adrien quickly turn around. _Had he been looking at her?_ "N-no, he wasn't… I'm sorry, I was laughing at something else! I'm sorry Mme Bustier!"

Marinette's face was glowing with embarrassment, not only at being called out for not paying attention, but somehow she had gotten Adrien in trouble too. She made a mental note to apologize to him later. At least Mme Bustier seemed to take pity on the tomato-faced girl, as she resumed the lesson with a simple shake of her head.

Marinette sighed. Given the topic of the lesson and her perfect view of the golden-haired boy directly in front of her, she couldn't help but relate him to _his_ polar opposite look-alike, Chat Noir. It's true, both boys had the same light blonde hair, green eyes, and slender but muscular build, but that's where the similarities stopped. Chat Noir was sassy and flippant, almost cocky at times. He couldn't seem to take anything seriously, and was brazenly (although, she suspected, insincerely) flirtatious with her. Adrien was the opposite: kind but somewhat shy, dedicated to his studies and extra-curricular activities, polite and respectful. _Perfect in every way… except he doesn't even notice I'm alive_ , the blackette concluded her thought with another sigh. She wondered if she was just fooling herself, hoping Adrien would one day take her into his arms, declare his love for her, and start their happily ever after of kids and dogs and hamsters.

Another thought tickled at the back of her mid. As smart-alecky as Chat was, he was brave and utterly selfless. He had stepped in the way of many painful, sometimes potentially lethal, attacks meant for Ladybug, shaking off her gratitude as if anyone would make a similar sacrifice. Her stomach tied in a painful, nauseating knot as she imagined Chat giving his life to fulfil her fantasy of being with Adrien, as Sydney Carton had done for Lucie in the book. If she were in Lucie's place, could she choose between the two?

The bell signaling the end of class snapped Marinette back to the real world. What was she thinking? Choose between Chat and Adrien? Why was that thought even in her head? Chat was her loyal friend and ally. The strength of their partnership needed to be maintained if they wanted to defeat Hawkmoth. _You can't have a romantic interest in him!_ She loved _Adrien,_ not Chat. …. _or maybe both?_ Forcing the intrusive thought from her head, she collected her books quickly and chased after Adrien to apologize for the earlier incident.

" _Adrien, wait!"_ Adrien heard Marinette call out from behind him as he moved to leave the room. He turned around just in time to see her terrified face lunge toward him, having tripped over the protruding leg of her own desk chair in an attempt to round the corner too quickly. With reflexes befitting his alter-ego namesake, he swept an arm under her falling form, placing her gingerly back on her feet.

"Whoa, careful there!" He said with a grin.

Marinette blinked at him in surprise, the whole thing happening so fast she barely had time to process that she had almost face-planted in front of him. "Uuhh…t-thanks Adrien!" she stammered, offering him a weak smile.

Alya, continuing past her toward the door, turned to give her two big thumbs up and a cheesy grin before taking Nino by the arm and leading him toward their next class.

"Are you OK? Anything broken?" Adrien's voice held a note of concern that she was not expecting.

"Oh! Yes, of course!" her reply came tumbling out a little too soon. Flailing her arms animatedly, she corrected herself. "I mean no, nothing is broken, it's good, we're together! _I'm_ together, in one piece! How are you?" She plastered a grin on her face, waiting for the earth to just open up and swallow her whole.

Adrien smiled softly, his emerald eyes catching hers. _She is just so adorable when she gets flustered_ , he thought. _The way her blush tints her cheeks to match the soft pink of her full, slightly-parted, and oh-so-tempting lips…_

Blue eyes were swept into green as Marinette tried frantically to remember what she wanted to say. "Right! I wanted to tell you… I'm sorry I got you in trouble in class. I'll speak with Mme Bustier and tell her you had nothing to do with my… uh, distraction." _Nothing, riiiight…_ "Anyway sorry bye!" Marinette ran from the room, before she could make an even bigger fool of herself.

Adrien turned to watch her go, his gaze trailing after her. After she disappeared into the hall, he shook his head, berating himself internally. _Why are you behaving this way around Marinette? Your heart lies with Ladybug!_

Actually, now that he thought about it, the two girls did share some similarities. The same big, clear-blue eyes framed with dark lashes, the same smooth, ivory skin, and same ink-black hair. In fact, Marinette was intuitive and brave, just like Ladybug, with her inspired design work and the leadership skills she demonstrated as class president. She was also loyal, caring, and… _just admit it Agreste_ … beautiful. But he wasn't being fair. Marinette was her own person, not some Ladybug knock-off. She deserved to be treated with respect, not fawned over just because she bore similarities to his unattainable love. No, things between him and Marinette were strictly platonic, but if he didn't get these increasingly common romantic daydreams out of his head he would jeopardize the friendship that they shared. If he had to distance himself from his alluring classmate to get his head on straight, that's exactly what he would do.

* * *

Two weeks after the defeat of Mesmer, Gabriel Agreste sat alone in his study. The picture of cold composure on the outside, internally he seethed with impatience and frustration. Although he spent several hours each day in the moth-filled atrium as Hawkmoth, Paris was not offering him the depth of anguish that he needed to create the caliber of hero he required. He had noticed that, with each villain defeated, the skills of Ladybug and Chat Noir seemed to improve. Throwing weak, irresolute opponents at them had only served to make them stronger as a team. Truly, only two of his villains sought wholly to obtain the miraculouses: Puppeteer and Volpina. His little Puppeteer had been _so close_ , she'd had Chat Noir! If only Ladybug had been just a little slower… And Volpina had Ladybug fooled. She was ready to hand over her miraculous, if only Chat hadn't been clever enough to see through her illusion. If the other villains hadn't been so distracted with their own vendettas….

No. Nothing can be gained from bemoaning the mistakes of the past. If one hopes to advance, he must learn from them, grow from them… and Hawkmoth had. _If only the damned city would cooperate!_

Gabriel's thoughts were interrupted by a sharp knock at the door.

"Come." His invitation betrayed none of the annoyance he felt from the interruption, but held no welcome either.

Nathalie entered the room at once, closing the door behind her. "I am sorry to disturb you sir." Her tone, as always, was entirely professional.

"What is it, Nathalie?" He had no time for her empty apologies. She had disturbed him, _now get on with it_.

"It's about your son, sir."

The figure of Gabriel Agreste sat stone-still in his chair, his back held straight in perfect posture, hands tented neatly atop the desk. Nathalie knew better than to expect a reply from this vague statement, but paused a moment to collect her thoughts. She couldn't just come out and say _"I think he's depressed."_ She chose her words carefully.

"Over the past few weeks, he has become more withdrawn, sir. He has distanced himself from his friends, and his teachers have noted that his work is not up to his usual standards. The photographers, too, have begun to complain that his smiles lack their usual mirth." She swallowed, knowing that the next statement was a risk. "He is a teenager now, sir. Perhaps you-… perhaps his father should intervene?"

The silence hung in the air like an executioner's ax.

"Nathalie." The name was spoken as a statement, the signal for the ax to fall. "How dare you interrupt me with such drivel." The lack of emotion in his voice made it all the more terrifying. "I have no time for such nonsense as teenage angst. I employ you for a reason. Find out what the problem is and fix it. If I hear any word that my son is not performing at his peak, I will hold you personally accountable."

Nathalie's eyes widened in shock. How was _she_ supposed to help a depressed, lonely teenage boy?

"But sir, I—"

"You may go now." The volume of his voice raised almost imperceptivity, but it was enough. Nathalie was out the door before the words faded from the room.

Gabriel was irritated at the audacity of his assistant, but her intrusion had given him an idea.

 _Teenage angst indeed. If Paris did not produce the depth of despair he needed, perhaps Gabriel_ should _intervene…._

* * *

The following morning, Adrien sat alone with his breakfast in the expansive dining hall, as was the norm. He poked at the undisturbed plate of eggs and fruit with his fork before pushing it away with a sigh. The last few weeks had been torture. Ever since he decided to be more mindful of his interactions with Marinette, he found more and more instances where he would casually, inadvertently flirt with her. Small compliments, teasing winks, "accidental" brushes of the hand… and each time, she would blush and stammer. He realized with dismay that Marinette's demure, almost awkward behavior around him was in direct response to his advances. Unintentional as it was, Adrien was appalled at his behavior, blaming himself for making her feel so uncomfortable around him. He was even more embarrassed that, try as he might, he couldn't seem to correct the habitual flirtation. So, instead, he distanced himself from Marinette, and with her Alya and Nino, to give himself a chance amend his behavior toward her. To make matters worse, Marinette made every effort to reach out to him (in true Marinette fashion), offering her help or at least a friendly ear to the increasingly withdrawn boy. _She was such a wonderful friend_.

Meanwhile, Ladybug seemed to be pushing him away as Chat Noir. Over the months they had been together, they had developed a comfortable comradery. He would openly flirt with her, making suggestive remarks and corny cat puns, and she would light-heartedly deflect his advances, teasing him in return. He knew she did not view their relationship as romantic, but thought that they had at least bridged the gap of pure professionalism to friendship. However, these past weeks, her coquettish reactions to his flirtations had ceased. She seemed to withdraw from him when he reached for her, trying to put distance between them when there was none. While he was trying to break down walls, she seemed to be fervently building them. Adrien had no idea what he done to ruin their relationship, and furthermore, hadn't a clue of how to fix it. If only he could show Ladybug that his affection for her was sincere, maybe she would give him a chance.

"Adrien."

His head jerked up with astonishment at the sound of his father's voice.

"F-father?!" _What was he doing here?_

"Adrien, you have not been yourself for some weeks." The older man stood at the head of the table, looking down at the figure of his son, his expression holding no identifiable emotion.

Making an effort to sit straighter in his seat under his father's scrutiny, Adrien nodded. "Yes father… I know."

"Is there a problem?"

Adrien couldn't remember the last time his father had shown any interest in his well-being. Almost to himself, he replied with honesty, seeking an answer even if from an unlikely source.

"Father, we never talk about…" _mom_ , his mind finished. Recognizing the risk of bringing up the tense subject, he changed his approach.

"…How do you prove to someone that you love her?"

A moment passed in silence. Uncertain that he had been heard, Adrien glanced up to meet his father's steely eyes.

"Don't be stupid." Gabriel's reply was harsh and blunt. "Your teenage hormones, what you call _love_ , is no excuse for your slipping grades and poor performance of late."

Adrien's mouth hung open, wordless. Maybe he was foolish to believe his father could give him advice about love, but he didn't expect _anger_.

"Your juvenile behavior is embarrassing, and you should be ashamed of yourself. You need to get over this naïve, childish romanticism and behave like an adult before you ruin everything I have built for you. Now go to the school that you so desperately wanted to attend, and try not to be such an utter disappointment." With this, Gabriel turned on his heels and left, heading directly to his moth-filled sanctuary.

As the observatory window slid open, Hawkmoth was not surprised to see that his son had not moved from the spot where he had left him minutes before. The boy was staring blankly at the tablecloth, seemingly unaware of the tears that had begun to stain the pristine white fabric. His pain was at his peak, his despair engulfing him. _This is the depth of emotion he was waiting for!_ With only a moment of hesitation, Hawkmoth released the dark-winged butterfly to seek out his son. While he regretted having to use his own son as a pawn in this game of catch with Ladybug and Chat Noir, once they were successful Gabriel would have the power to make up for the unfavorable means that brought the desired end. Even if they failed, Adrien would have no memory of being turned, and Gabriel's demanding expectations of his son were not altogether unusual. _Now…. Make me proud, son._

* * *

 _*** A/N: If you haven't read "A Tale of Two Cities," Sydney Carton (a roguish, insolent drunk) stands in for Charles Darnay (a wealthy, privileged, honorable man who is married to Lucie, the love of Carton's life, and to whom he happens to bear a striking physical resemblance) at the guillotine. He dies so she can live a happy life with another man. YUP, heartbreaking._


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2:

"Hey kid, c'mon, snap out of it!" Plagg did his best to comfort his chosen from his hiding spot in Adrien's shirt pocket. Even for Gabriel Agreste, that last exchange was pretty harsh. But with the house's video security surveillance in constant operation, he knew that there were very few places in the mansion where he could fly about freely, and the dining room was not one of them.

When Adrien didn't reply, Plagg began poking him in the chest playfully, hoping to annoy him into a response.

"We all know your dad's an ass, don't let it get to you! Let's go, your friends are waiting for you at school!" While this last statement was indeed true, Plagg was acutely aware of the fact that Adrien had lately put some distance between himself and the rest of the formerly-inseparable group. When he had asked about it, Adrien had said something about how his love of Ladybug complicated his purely platonic friendship with Marinette, the irony of the statement causing Plagg to literally groan. Adrien had taken his kwami's reaction as disinterest, waving him off as being unable to understand.

Now the tiny cat-god had wished he had pushed the kid a little further to analyze his feelings for the civilian alter-ego of his heroic partner. It was painfully obvious that the kid loved _both_ girls, and that his petite, stammering classmate had a near-incapacitating crush on him as well. _If only they weren't so blind…_

 _Ugh, I'm so bad at this "feelings" crap,_ the kwami mused, wondering how to spur his friend from his current state.

As Plagg peered through the small window of sight that the open shirt provided at the dejected, tear-streaked face of his keeper, movement caught his eye. Barely visible at the edge of his visual field, Plagg immediately recognized the flutter of black wings and the sickly purple glow.

 _Oh shit!_

Diving to the floor at the last second, Plagg narrowly escaped being swallowed in the bubbling purple-black power that engulfed Adrien.

 _Not good, not good!_ the cat-kwami murmured, tucking himself into Adrien's bag. Plagg knew his first goal was to get out of the constantly-surveilled mansion… and then he would need the help of a certain red bug. _Ohhhh man, I hope Marinette is in school today. Her "purse" and I need to have a chat._

* * *

Marinette slumped in her seat as Mme Bustier droned on with the day's lesson, taking in the empty chair in front of her. For the past few weeks, Adrien had seemed increasingly withdrawn, upset about something that he would not divulge. Her concern for the well-being of the kind, selfless boy had surmounted her fear of embarrassing herself in front of him, and she had reached out to him several times to offer her support if he wanted to talk. Each time, he would smile and thank her politely, but decline her offer.

She soon realized that he was avoiding _her_ specifically; he wouldn't approach the group if she was there, and would make an excuse to leave shortly after her arrival. Insisting that she was being ridiculous, Alya had made efforts to force them together (such as that physics study session that she "forgot to mention" Marinette would attend). Sometimes Marinette would catch Adrien looking at her, but he would look away when she caught his gaze in an attempt to offer a friendly smile. He seemed genuinely uncomfortable in her presence, and slowly began to avoid the group altogether. Now, it seemed, he wouldn't even come to school if it meant seeing her!

Marinette had no idea why he suddenly seemed to despise her, and the worry and guilt were eating her away. Had she insulted him somehow? Was she too forward in pressing him to talk? Was he annoyed by her? The questions cycled through her head in an endless loop, distracting her during her waking hours and plaguing her dreams at night. Even during patrols as Ladybug, she had difficulty focusing on the task at hand. _Speaking of, Ladybug's life wasn't going much better…_

Repressing her growing feelings for Chat was becoming increasingly difficult as she struggled with the concept of absolving Adrien from his position of "fantasy crush"to focus on maintaining their friendship. Chat's light-hearted, flirtatious quips, once easily brushed aside with a grin, struck at her heart, causing flutters of excitement and warmth, like smothered embers threatening to spark to life. Several times, she had to stop herself from leaning into him, from standing too close, or from making some suggestive remark of her own. She instinctually knew exactly what was happening: she was falling for Chat Noir. He was so protective of her, cunning and sweet, brave to the point of recklessness… and that body didn't exactly hurt either. She recognized the same nervous excitement when she caught sight of his leather-clad figure perched on the rooftop, waiting for her, as she had when Adrien would walk into the room. _But you CAN'T. Even if his feelings for Ladybug are sincere_ (the thought made her heart flutter a bit) _, do you really think he'd share the same admiration of plain, boring, stammering Marinette?_

Staring at the desk and entirely caught up in her thoughts, Marinette didn't even notice that the room had fallen completely silent.

Seeing the classroom door open out of the corner of her eye, Mme Bustier had turned to admonish the tardy student, but her words caught in her throat, her expression stricken with surprise.

The figure of Adrien Agreste stood in the doorway, his blond hair perfectly disheveled and eyes cast slightly downward, a grin playing at the corner of his lips. Abandoning his traditional tee shirt and orange converse, he was dressed in a fitted black button-down that appeared to shine under the harsh lighting, the first few buttons left undone to offer a hint of the toned chest that lay underneath and the sleeves folded sleekly to his elbows. The shirt was half-tucked into slim-fit tailored pants, the denim material much darker than his usual pale blue jeans, just cresting the tops of his freshly-polished leather shoes.

It wasn't just the expertly-crafted clothing that drew the eyes of Chloe Bourgeois, her seat in the front of the classroom placing her front and center for the show. There was an aura about him, something that seemed to draw her to him. As he lifted his eyes and met hers, the piercing green irises seemed to sear into her soul. Without even realizing she was doing it, she slowly rose to her feet.

Chloe blinked as he glided past her. _When had he moved?_ She shook herself from the trance and dropped into her seat quickly, suddenly aware that she had been standing in the middle of the class, mouth agape, just _staring_. Watching him, his movements so fluid, he looked every bit the model he was… and much, much more. True, Chloe had been interested in Adrien before: he was gorgeous, famous, and rich, after all, and would make a suitable match for her. But it wasn't until that moment that she knew she _must_ have him, that she would give anything for him, and that she would do whatever it took to be his.

Marinette was startled when she saw the masculine hand graze across the desk in front of her, interrupting her thoughts. Time seemed to slow as she processed the familiarity of the ring that graced the long, pale finger: a plain black band with an empty circular face. _Empty?_ Something in her memory flashed with significance, a sense of urgency, that they _needed to hide_ … from… from what? Allowing her eyes to follow the path of the arm to its owner, Marinette audibly gasped as she met Adrien's fiery gaze. It suddenly felt as if all the air had been pulled from the room, that the room itself was gone, and she was falling… falling into jade-green, infinitely deep pools in which she would happily drown.

Marinette's left hand anchored to the desk at the wrist by Alya's white-knuckled death-grip, Adrien smoothly caught her right in his waiting hand and brought it to his lips, breaking eye contact to place a lingering kiss there. Marinette was hyper-aware of the softness of his lips as they pressed into her hand, the buzzing in her ears nearly deafening despite the silence in the room. As wonderful as the satin-soft feel of his lips was, she found her heart racing, her skin raising in goosebumps, her muscles twitching like coiled springs. As much as she wanted to stay with him, to feel those lips press into hers, to be absorbed into bliss forever, there was another sensation—a visceral, instinctual knowledge that sensed danger, and it was screaming at her to _run._ Before she could react, he raised his eyes to hers again and held her gaze.

"DUDE!" Nino's voice shattered the silence of the room, the women in the classroom noticeably flinching in surprise. "What the _actual_ fu—"

A purposeful cough from Mme Bustier cut him off. "A-Adrien?" She took a deep breath to steady her tumultuous nerves. _What is going on? Christ woman, he's 16!_ She internally berated herself. "Please have a seat so we can resume the lesson." The teacher turned away from him quickly, intuitively reluctant to meet his gaze.

Casting a final grin at Marinette, Adrien took his seat next to a bewildered Nino, gesturing for the instructor to continue with a casual wave of his hand.

Marinette and Alya stared at each other as the tension that had gripped them both released its hold. Alya sheepishly let go of Marinette's wrist, her fingers leaving red marks where they had been squeezing tightly.

Finding her voice, the dark-skinned girl whispered the question on everyone's mind: " _What the hell was that?!"_

" _I guess he's feeling better?"_ Marinette whispered back, her own thoughts still a little fuzzy.

" _Oh girl, there is_ nothing _wrong with_ that _boy!"_ Alya replied, her whisper failing to hide the trace of lust in her voice. "… _sorry. But DAMN."_

Marinette gasped as her mind finally registered the significance of the ring. She _knew_ she had seen it before! Adrien wore that ring every day. It wasn't the empty face that struck her as odd, it was the _color_. Adrien's ring had been silver, but this one was black. His recent depression, the now-black ring, the new clothes, his strange behavior… could he be an _akuma?!_

Marinette jumped to her feet, clutching her purse. "Mme Bustier may I use the restroom?!" her voice was frantic. "It's an emergency!" The whole class was probably thinking that she had a serious case of intestinal upset, but at the moment, she didn't care. She needed to talk to Tikki _immediately_.

Taking note of the young girl's distress, the teacher nodded to the hall pass before returning to the lesson.

Marinette wasted no time in rushing to the girls' restroom and locking herself inside. Glancing under the doors to ensure she was alone, she opened her purse, allowing Tikki to emerge.

The little red kwami popped out of the purse without delay, concern evident in her expression. "Marinette, what happened? I sense an akuma very nearby! Do we need to transform?"

"Tikki… it's bad. It's Adrien, I think Adrien's been akumatized!" Marinette voice was unsteady. Guilt threatened to overwhelm her, as she knew his recent suffering was somehow her fault… even if she didn't exactly understand how.

Tikki's large eyes widened. "A-Adrien? Is an akuma?" The kwami was well-aware of the true identity of her chosen's feline counterpart. If Adrien was Hawkmoth's victim, it meant Ladybug would be facing this particular akuma alone.

Tikki steeled her expression. "It's OK Marinette, you'll save him! Just like with Alya. Once you purify the akuma, he'll be back to normal and everything will be fine!"

Marinette bit her bottom lip. "Yeah, about that. I think this one is gonna be up to Chat Noir."

Tikki looked puzzled. "Marinette… even if you have to hurt him, it's not really _him,_ and he'll be totally fine as soon as you use Miraculous Ladybug."

"That's not it." Marinette's reply was hesitant, fearful. "It's his power. When I'm near him… actually I think when _any_ girl is near him, they become entranced, spellbound. When he catches your eyes, you can't even move. You feel wonderful and terrified, like flying... and falling, at the same time." Marinette subconsciously wrapped her arms around herself, struck with a sudden chill. "I can't fight it, Tikki. It needs to be Chat."

 _Well, that's going to be a problem…_ Tikki thought. She couldn't explain how she knew that Chat wasn't coming without revealing his identity, so she went another route… she stalled. "Don't worry, we'll figure something out Marinette!" the tiny bug-god encouraged.

Despite the kwami's reassuring words, Marinette could easily read the worry in her expression. _Please Chat… please come soon!_ Marinette silently prayed.

* * *

Chloe hadn't missed the attention that nit-wit Marinette was demanding of _her_ Adrien. Her jealousy boiled with such intensity that she nearly exploded out of her seat when the bell for lunch sounded. _Marinette never came back from the restroom, so she can't get in my way this time!_ The blonde thought smugly as she sauntered toward the object of her affections. The other girls in the class were moving toward him as well, but Chloe was not dissuaded.

"Out of the way, losers! Adrien is with _me!_ " physically shoving Alya back toward her seat, Chloe approached Adrien, favoring him with her most seductive smile. "Hi-ii Adrik—"

When Adrien stood and met her eyes, Chloe felt her heart leap into her throat, cutting off her words. His eyes shone like precious stones, catching the light and reflecting it into a kaleidoscope of golden prisms. Chloe couldn't help but feel that their beauty hid some secret, that if she could peer deep enough some treasure was waiting for her. She could not hear the other girls begin to protest her claim of him, did not see them swoon when Adrien's lips curved into a crafted smile. The world around her had fallen away; she saw only him. As he reached for her hand and led her out of the classroom, Chloe suppressed the girlish giggle that bubbled in her chest. _He was touching her! Their hands were touching!_ Her focus completely on the captivating man guiding her, Chloe did not notice where they were going. Not that she actually cared, she would follow him anywhere.

Adrien's thoughts were muddled, as if he existed in a state between wakefulness and sleep. _What am I doing? Where am I? I want…_ love. Yes, he wanted the love of a woman. No, not wanted, _needed. Yes, that's right..._ He needed it to live. He yearned for it, fed off it, drank it into his soul. It was his lifeblood, and now that he had it, he had never felt so _alive_.

The pink outline of a moth lit up his peripheral vision as Hawkmoth's voice came to his ears: "Playboy, I see you are enjoying your new powers. Do not forget, you must hold up your end of the bargain. Thief of hearts you may be, but your abilities come with a price. Now make yourself known, and draw out Ladybug and Chat Noir!"

His senses tingled with energy, his blood hummed with power. Yes, Hawkmoth had granted him the ability to seduce any woman he wished, and the power brought with it a massive boost of confidence. He felt _invincible_. As he led Chloe away from the school and toward the park, he laughed lightly at how easy it was. The adoration poured off of her in waves, her desire for him was almost palpable. Guiding her into the shade of a large tree, Adrien pulled her to him.

"Ooh Adrien, right here? In broad daylight?" Chloe eagerly pressed her body into his, her crystal blue eyes clouded with lust and cheeks flushed in anticipation.

"Do you love me, Chloe?" Adrien's voice was deep and smooth as he bent his face toward hers.

"With everything I have," Chloe replied dreamily.

Adrien's mouth, only inches from her waiting lips, curved into a grin.

"I'll take it," he growled, catching her lips with his own.

Marinette watched, stupefied, from her spot on the park bench where she been unpacking her lunch. Adrien had brought Chloe to the park, and was… _kissing her?_ _What the hell?_ As he pulled away from the kiss, Adrien inhaled deeply, breathing in what appeared to be a whisp of smoke arising from between Chloe's still-parted lips. His eyes still closed, Adrien smiled in contentment as Chloe collapsed to the ground.

Marinette gasped in surprise, drawing his attention. She immediately turned her attention to the sandwich she had been unwrapping, studying it intently as if she hadn't just witnessed the strange scene. Although she kept her eyes glued to the sandwich, she was suddenly aware of his proximity. Her pulse quickened as the hairs on the back of her neck stood on end. She could swear she felt him behind her. _That's impossible, you just saw him across the park. It's your imagination!_ Still, she held her breath, straining to hear something that would indicate his presence.

" _Do you want me, Marinette?"_ his husky voice came from directly beside to her ear. She could feel the heat of his breath as the words teased her. But when she whirled her head around in shock, there was no one there…. she was alone. Turning back to where he had been standing, Marinette saw that Adrien was gone, but Chloe's crumpled figure remained.

Abandoning her lunch, Marinette ran to the girl. As she approached, she could hear that Chloe was crying, gasping for air between sobs.

"Chloe, what happened?! Are you OK? Are you hurt?" As much as Marinette hated the spoiled brat, nobody deserved the pain she appeared to be suffering.

Chloe continued her blubbering, seemingly unaware of Marinette's approach. "He doesn't love me!" She sobbed again, choking on her words. "He is my everything, but he—" another sharp inhale. "He doesn't…" Chloe wailed, her body wracked with sobs. Marinette offered encouraging words to seemingly deaf ears for the rest of their lunch break, and eventually Chloe's energy was spent, her sobbing diminishing to a whimper. Marinette tried to help her stand, but Chloe was dead weight in her arms, her blue eyes empty. After waving down an officer who promised to see her "sick" friend home safely, Marinette headed back toward the school in a run.

 _This confirms it. Adrien is definitely an akuma, and he is attacking women. No time to wait for Chat, Ladybug needs to step in now!_

Marinette was overwhelmed with the sounds of tormented wailing as she entered the school. She counted at least eight girls lying on the ground in the hallway, crying uncontrollably as their confused friends and teachers tried to comfort them. Ducking into the restroom, Marinette popped open her purse.

"There's no time, Tikki! We have to fight…. Spots on!"

Dashing out of the restroom, Ladybug followed the sounds of anguished cries until she found Adrien… or rather the akuma that had taken control of Adrien. She entered the classroom just in time to see Juleka collapse to the ground, where Rose was already curled into a tight ball, hugging her knees to her chest and whimpering.

"Stop it, Adrien! Let those girls go!" Ladybug's voice portrayed more confidence than she felt.

Adrien chuckled lightly, his eyes still closed as he enjoyed the rush from his latest victim. The feeling was intoxicating, and he reveled in it. "Sorry Ladybug, Adrien wasn't strong enough to take what he wanted, so Playboy is in control now. But if you stay, I'll make it worth your while." _And you'll make it worth mine!_ He silently added.

 _My God, that confident, cocky smile playing on his gorgeous lips, the golden blonde hair that I just wanna run my fingers through…_ Ladybug was taken aback by the gorgeous man before her. Just then, his burning green eyes flashed open, catching her stare. Her eyes opened in alarm, but she felt her heart flutter pleasantly in her chest.

In an instant, he closed the distance between them, cupping her face in one hand and wrapping the other around the small of her back. Her breath hitched as he peered into her eyes, his gaze causing a fire to build in her belly that threatened to consume her.

Pulling her against him, he tipped her face toward his. "You are incredible, Ladybug. So kind, brave, and vigilant. Do you even realize how beautiful you are? It's enough to drive a man wild…"

Ladybug's heart beat frantically in her chest in an odd combination of fear, bashfulness, and attraction. To hear those words in Adrien's voice, sounding absolutely sincere, sent her head tumbling over itself.

Suddenly she was released from his hypnotic gaze as he reeled back in pain with an angry hiss.

Ladybug blinked, astonished at the sight of a small black demon-creature that had apparently bitten "Playboy" on the ear. _Strange, he almost looks like…_

Adrien grabbed the cat-god and threw it to the ground. Catching himself mid-tumble, Plagg flew to Ladybug's face, waving his arms in panic.

"LADYBUG, go! No time to explain, we need to run, NOW!"

Seeing him up close, Ladybug realized the creature was not a demon, but rather like a small, black—CAT. It's Chat Noir's kwami! _Is Chat here!?_

"NOW!" The cat-kwami repeated, as Adrien furious gaze fell upon the creature.

Finally regaining her composure, Ladybug nodded. "RIGHT!" Catching her yo-yo on the classroom's emergency sprinkler head, she launched herself through the air and out of the classroom. "Everyone, out!" She didn't stop running as she called her warning to the bewildered students. "There's an akuma, it's dangerous here. Go home NOW!" Ladybug was out of the school and swinging toward home in a flash, the cat-kawmi chasing close behind


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3:

Ladybug dropped into the alleyway beside the bakery to detransform, ushering Tikki into her purse before heading inside. To Marinette's surprise, the cat kwami had apparently followed her, so she motioned him in as well. _Can't exactly leave a kwami just floating in broad daylight…_

After explaining to her parents that classes were cancelled due to an akuma, and that _yes, for the 100_ _th_ _time_ she was _sure_ she was fine, Marinette grabbed a few cookies and headed to her room.

Once she was alone again, she put the cookies down and opened her purse, interrupting a hushed conversation between the two creatures inside. Marinette's mouth opened to voice a question, but she had so many, she couldn't decide on which one to ask first.

"Oh thanks Marinette!" Tikki cheerfully bee-lined to the cookie plate sitting on the desk, leaving the strange black kawmi floating midair before the confused heroine. He offered her gaping face a sheepish grin.

Finding her voice, Marinette finally spoke. "What are _you_ doing here, kitty kwami? Where's Chat Noir? _Did you leave him at the school?_ " she jabbed a finger at him accusingly.

"It's Plagg!" the cat-god replied lightly.

"What's a Plagg? Does it have Chat?! Is he in trouble?" Marinette's eyes darted to Tikki, wondering if it would be too soon to ask her to transform.

The black kawmi chuckled. " _I'm_ a Plagg! I'm _the_ Plagg, you may have heard of me? Kwami of destruction? Impressive, right?"

Marinette blinked at him, dumbfounded by his nonchalance. Her hands balling into fists at her sides, she groaned in frustration. "Are _ALL_ cats this annoying or is it just the black ones?" she murmured.

Tikki giggled as she nibbled her cookie, enjoying the humorous scene. "Oh Marinette, Plagg and Chat Noir are a special kind of obnoxious…" she teased.

"I happen to be quite charming, thank-you-very-much!" Plagg quipped back, his lips turning into a half-smile that reminded Marinette of Chat.

 _Wait… was this "Plagg" flirting with Tikki? Are you freaking kidding me!_ Marinette cleared her throat loudly. "Excuse me you two! We have a slight problem to deal with, remember? Now _where_ is Chat Noir?" her pressing tone was spawned by both annoyance and unease. She would need to rely on Chat Noir to defeat this particular akuma, even moreso than normal due to her particular… weakness.

The frivolity fell from the expressions of the two kawmis as they exchanged poignant looks.

"He… uh… sent me to help." Plagg offered, trying to respect the secret of their identities until the chosen themselves felt comfortable enough to reveal themselves to each other. "Yeah he's not himself… he's really sick, I mean, and can't fight, but he didn't want you to have to fight alone…. Or something." Plagg caught Tikki's eyes again, his expression communicating his thoughts clearly: _This is ridiculous._

Marinette's expression lit up. "Kwamis can fight?" she asked, hopefully.

Plagg's expression twisted into an awkward grimace. "Uhhhh…. No." He replied. "Actually he just didn't want you to think that he'd abandoned you, and sent me to try to help if I could. But I honestly don't know what to do." The last statement rang with truth.

Marinette's hopeful smile fell. _Typical Chat. He's too sick to leave the house and his only concern is that he needs to help her, so he sends his kwami for support._ Marinette could not imagine sending Tikki out into the world alone to look for Chat. She had been separated from her kwami for a brief time once before, when Chloe stole her and tried to give her away to a toy drive, and Marinette had felt so fearful for her tiny friend… she was so alone, so worried, and so vulnerable. They BOTH were. _But Chat had sent his away… for her?_

Just then, Sabine's voice called to Marinette from below. "Mar-i-nette!" Both kwamis ducked into hiding at the unexpected voice. "You have a vis-i-tor! Can I send them up?"

 _Alya's here?_ "Sure mom, that's fine!" Marinette called back. _But why had her mom used that sing-songy, teasing voice? She only does that with— OH NO._

Marinette whirled around to face the trap door, her eyes wide with panic.

Adrien ( _no, not Adrien, Playboy! It's not him!_ She reminded herself) was leaning casually against the wooden support beam leading up to her bed, taking in the room. Her eyes were immediately drawn to the small area of his chest exposed by the unbuttoned shirt, and she couldn't help but imagine placing a kiss on that tantalizing patch of exposed skin. Her imagination guided her eyes as she dreamt of trailing light kisses up neck, over the strong line of his jaw, to taste those gorgeous lips…. Which had begun to curve into an alluring smile. _My God he was sexy…_

Remembering herself, Marinette gasped and threw both hands over her eyes, blocking her vision. _Whatever you do, do not look him in the eyes!_ She reminded herself, even as she felt the pull to do exactly that. "Leave me alone, _Playboy!_ Get your fix somewhere else!"

"Clever girl…."

Marinette jumped, not expecting his voice to emanate from mere inches in front of her.

She blindly reached one hand out in front of her, her palm lying flat against his broad, toned chest. Even through the shirt, her sensitive fingertips could appreciate the firm, flat muscles, as well as the strong and somewhat quickened beat of his heart. _Was he… excited?_ Pushing those thoughts from her head, she firmly shoved him away.

She gasped as, a moment later, she felt his powerful arms encircle her, pulling her against his chest. She hadn't expected Adrien to be so strong, but this man was _solid_.

"Ok then, you wanna play hard to get?" the flirtatious nature of his voice reminded her of her absentee partner's teasing tone. She felt her heartrate spike, her face burning.

Dipping his head toward her shoulder, he finished his thought with a seductive whisper. "I like that."

Her body went rigid. Even without the akuma's bewitching stare, it was still _Adrien's_ voice that was provoking her, his body that was tempting her. She willed herself to be still as a statue. She would _not_ succumb.

"Mmmm," he purred. "Do you have any idea how long I've been thinking of this?"

 _It's not Adrien! It's an akuma, it's NOT_ _Adrien!_ Marinette was repeating to herself, attempting to drown out the other thought that had whispered in her mind: _Not nearly as long as I have…_

"The thing is, I fell in love with a super hero, a fantasy… and you are so much like her except you're _real_. I see you every day, I know you, I understand you're not _her_ , but the similarities… It's not fair of me, to want you because you remind me of someone else. But I can't help it! The want _consumes_ me. I can't think of anything else! I shouldn't compare you to her, but seeing you every day, your passion, your devotion to those you love, your sweet smile, those ridiculously gorgeous eyes… I can't help it. You are my real life Ladybug, and… and I didn't know how to tell you. But now, _now_ , I can SHOW you."

Spying a sleep-mask on this nightstand, he wasted no time scooping it up and securing it gently to her face, above her stubborn hand.

Feeling the smooth satin slip over her face and the slight pressure of the band securing it in place, she registered what he had done. _Her sleep mask?_ Keeping her eyes squeezed shut, she cautiously investigated the object with her fingertips, confirming its identity. She pulled it down over her eyes.

"You know what I can do, what I can _take_ ," his deep timber emanated from beside her ear, "but I want to know what _you_ want." He paused, momentarily leaving Marinette alone in the silent blackness. Then, a familiar, throaty whisper met her ears. ".…Do you want me, Marinette?"

Hearing the words repeated from earlier that day, Marinette's breath caught in her chest. _Why would he quell his own powers? It was obvious that Playboy gained energy from the unrequited love of women, which he could elicit easily by meeting their gaze. So why? What did he have to gain by hampering his own ability by obscuring her vision?_

Marinette didn't have long to ruminate on the question, as suddenly a firm pressure pinned her shoulders to the wall behind her. Her eyes, still squeezed shut in protest, flashed open only to meet complete blackness. _Right, the mask…_ Her breath hitched again as she felt his body press against hers, registering every individual point of contact: his leg was angled between hers, pressing her left thigh outward. Her right pelvic bone ached slightly under the grinding pressure of his left, but the slight tickle she felt as his fingertips brushed the hair away from her shoulder distracted her from any discomfort.

Marinette felt a light contact as his lips fluttered over the sensitive skin under her right ear. She instinctually craned her neck to the opposite side, providing him easier access. She gasped as she felt the warm, rough, wet sensation of his tongue curve around her ear and the sharp prick of his teeth as he claimed her earlobe in his mouth.

The pain wasn't even unpleasant. Rather, it sent a jolt of pleasure through her, igniting her face in a hot flush and perpetuating down her torso, spurring her heart to an even more excited pace, and sending a shock to her groin. She hadn't yet processed the novel sensations when he returned his focus to her neck.

Zeroing in on the spot where her accelerated pulse beat its strongest, his teasing lips sucked gently, the tip of his tongue tracing the musculature of her neck upward toward her jawline. _Adrien was pressing against her, kissing her_ … the tip of her nose brushed against his shoulder as her head lulled, his soft hair skimming her cheek as he doted upon her neck. The scent of him was intoxicating: a trace of the spice of cologne mixed with the musk of raw male desire, the sensation invaded her cognition, making her woozy with need.

"Can't you feel me, Marinette?" his voice was muffled as he buried his face into her hair, inhaling deeply.

She could definitely feel him, every electric touch of his fingertips bringing new sensations to life within her as they snaked under her shirt to dance across her ribs.

"Don't you want to touch me?" Taking her hands firmly by the wrists, he pressed a kiss into her right palm before placing both her hands on his bare chest. ( _When had he unbuttoned his shirt?!)_ Her fingers arched over the shelf of his collarbones, and she again appreciated the strong, steady thump of his heart… until he pulled her hands down, forcing her fingertips to trace the muscles of his chest, to bounce over the defined lines of his stomach….

As her fingers wrapped around the edge of his pants, she dipped her head into his shoulder, entirely overwhelmed with the sensations that were bombarding her.

"Yesss…" he sighed, a hand instantly buried in her hair and encouraging her head toward his neck. " _Taste_ me… I am yours."

Marinette's mind had shut down. Adrien's voice relinquishing himself to her had kicked her higher conscious into reboot. Driven purely by instinct, she parted her lips, cautiously protruding her tongue to meet….

His neck. More specifically, she had landed at the juncture of his neck and shoulder, where she could hear his breath catch and feel his pulse rush under her lips.

Being that his mouth was right next to her ear, the quiet moan the escaped him was clearly audible to her. It reverberated through her, igniting in her a desire for him that threatened to engulf her.

Emboldened by her need for him, she pressed her lips against his neck, sucking gently. This earned her a growl of appreciation from him, the sound only fueling the fire that was steadily building in her lower stomach. She allowed her hungry hands to explore the muscles of his back, flexing under her fingertips as he pulled her more tightly against him. _Definitely more muscular than she had expected…_

He was planting kisses on her shoulder, the strap of her tank top seemingly pulled aside because she could again feel his hot tongue working against her skin. She tipped her head back, relishing in the sheer pleasure of the sensation.

His heavenly, exhilarating kisses moved from her shoulder to her exposed neck, the pressure of his increasingly passionate mouth against her sensitive skin making her knees go weak and her head swim. He was right. She did want him. She wanted to touch him, wanted him to touch her… she wanted all of it. He had cupped her face gently in one hand, and she let him tilt her chin up slightly. She could feel the heat of his breath as she inhaled through slightly parted lips. Every inch of her body ached with craving of him, her heart thundering in anticipation.

 _Yes…_ her traitorous mind conceded to her body's desire. _Yes, Adrien… kiss me._

* * *

 _A/N: I seriously can't get over how amazing you guys are! Thank you so much for the reviews and favs and messages, it makes writing so much more fun! I'm still super new to the fanfic writing game so your support goes a long way. Thank you! Sorry this chapter is a little shorter, I haven't had much time to write lately T_T. At least now there will be a chapter 4!_


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4:

Tikki huddled with Plagg in hiding behind the framed picture of Adrien on Marinette's desk. When Marinette had successfully averted the akuma's spellbinding gaze and rejected him, the spotted kwami readied herself, preparing to transform her chosen to fight as Ladybug. But in the blink of an eye, Playboy had crossed the room, suddenly only inches in front of the willfully "blind" girl. Her hands still in front of her face, Marinette did not appreciate the supernatural display of speed.

Tikki gasped. _His speed is unreal! This akuma is much more powerful than his mostly-unaltered form lets on!_

After he murmured something to Marinette that Tikki could not make out, she had watched Playboy pick up Marinette's satin sleep mask and secure it to her face. Then, pressing a leg between her thighs, he had pinned her body to a wall with his own.

 _But why? Why would he protect her from his power?_ Tikki wondered, her anxiety growing.

Tikki could literally _see_ the girl's resolve to resist him falter and fall as he trailed kisses up her neck, her statue-stiff posture softening as she leaned into him.

Marinette's words from earlier that day came back to Tikki, bringing with them a terrifying realization. Her chosen had tried to warn her: his very _presence_ had seemed to affect the women in the classroom. His gaze would hold a victim fast, but he didn't rely on that power alone. No, Playboy drew in his victims by capitalizing on _all_ of their senses. His gaze might be a kill shot, but he didn't need it to be victorious. _The mask is just an illusion of safety!_ By relieving her of her sight, Playboy had encouraged her to abandon all of her other senses to his persuasion. And judging by the way she had hungrily tasted his skin, by the way her hands trailed over the muscles of his torso… she had done exactly that.

Plagg, too, watched the steamy scene, his mouth agape. He was ready to bite the akuma again, if he had to, but this was… perplexing. Playboy had hampered his powers, and made no move to land his devastating kiss. Rather, he seemed to purposely _avoid_ her face, kissing her neck, her jaw, her ear. When she began to do the same, Adrien's expression revealed such ecstasy that Plagg wasn't sure he _should_ intervene. While he had readily drawn the souls from a dozen or so girls in the school, leaving them in whimpering heaps, he was prolonging this seduction, taking pleasure in it.

 _It's about time!_ The cat-god thought to himself. _Poor kid deserves a moment of bliss!_

A frightened gasp from the polka-dotted figure beside him drew Plagg back to reality. _Ugh, but it's not even Adrien… it's the damned akuma! He won't even remember this… dammit!_ The black kwami shook his head, irritated, as Tikki darted out of their hiding place.

Finally returning his attention to the scene before him, Plagg realized in horror that Marinette was standing on her toes, her chin angled upward, toward the kiss that would certainly seal her fate. He had been so distracted analyzing what this might mean for Adrien, he had missed Playboy going for the strike! Luckily, Tikki was on the move.

"LADYBUG!" The little bug kwami screamed, shooting toward the girl.

Playboy released the enraptured girl, taken aback by the unexpected voice… and its declaration.

Marinette stumbled forward, his presence suddenly gone. She regained her balance before hitting the ground, but the sudden sensation of falling was enough to shock her out of the dream-like state she had been in.

"It's not him, Marinette! You need to transform and _fight!_ " she heard a high-pitched voice plead from somewhere in the blackness. Momentarily confused, she reached up to remove the night-mask/blindfold as understanding of the situation flooded back into her mind.

As Playboy glanced between the tiny red god and Marinette, recognition and shock overtook his countenance just as he heard Marinette call out: "Right! Tikki, spots on!"

With a flash of dazzling pink light, Marinette was replaced by Ladybug. Using her yo-yo like a grappling hook, Ladybug shot to the railing of her loft bed, anchoring herself there to avoid his tantalizing reach.

"Nice try, Playboy, but my heart belongs to the _real_ Adrien, not some akuma wannabe!" the superheroine declared from her perch, careful not to meet his eyes.

Recovering from his surprise, Playboy scoffed at her remark. "From someone who hates lies so much, that one rolled off your tongue pretty easily, eh Ladybug?" he muttered.

Her brow furrowed. "And just what is that supposed to mean?!"

His figure seemed to tense as he continued, ignoring her question. "I've wanted to tell you for a while… that I love you Ladybug. I have since the very beginning. But it doesn't matter what I do, what I say… doesn't matter that I would happily make a fool of myself to see you smile, that I would readily give my very life to protect you. You'll never see me as anything more than some goofy cat, will you?"

Ladybug blinked in confusion. _Did Adrien think he was competing for her heart with…Chat Noir? But she hardly even interacted with Adrien as Ladybug outside of a few rescues and shy hellos, how was he suddenly in love with her?_

"What are you…? I don't…" Ladybug's brain stubbornly refused to connect the dots.

"You have _got_ to be kidding me!" Plagg's exasperated groan made them both turn as he emerged from hiding.

"Shut up, Plagg, this doesn't concern you!" Playboy snapped. "It's not shiny and you can't eat it, so don't pretend like you care!"

Plagg sighed. "I do care, kid… I just _suck_ at all this love stuff. Ask Tikki, I'm hopeless!" In truth, the cat-god had a problem taking _anything_ seriously… including akuma battles, it seemed.

Upon seeing Playboy and Plagg interact, Ladybug's eyes widened, understanding finally dawning on her as if she was stepping out of the dark into a midday summer's sun. The answer to his strange declarations of love, and to her confused and divided heart, was suddenly blazingly clear. "You… you're… you're Chat Noir!"

"Not anymore," he growled in response.

Ladybug's eyes flashed to Plagg, looking for validation, reassurance that this was real, but the green-eyed god just shrugged nonchalantly as if to say, _"Well there you have it."_

Securing herself to the railing with her left hand, Ladybug clutched her yo-yo in her right. "Adrien… I will save you. I'll defeat this akuma, even if I have to do it without…"Her mind still struggled with the true identity of her heroic partner. " _…_ without _you!_ " Finishing her thought, she leapt at him, attempting to tackle him to the ground.

With his akuma-powered speed, he easily sidestepped her attack. She recovered by ducking into a somersault and quickly sprang to her feet. She kept her eyes on the ground for fear of meeting his gaze, but soon realized it was going to be extremely difficult to fight if she could only watch his feet. She adopted a defensive stance, watching his movements for any sign of attack.

He rushed her, catching her off-guard with a clothesline hit and knocking her backward. He pinned her to the ground by her shoulders, but she squeezed her eyes shut against him. "I won't succumb, Playboy! Even with all your powers of seduction, you're _nothing_ compared to Adrien, _nothing_ compared to Chat Noir!" Gritting her teeth, she bucked against him, trying without success to land a kick or shove him off of her.

"I can _make_ you love me, Ladybug!" he hissed, his voice grated with such anger that she hardly recognized it. "Then _you_ 'll feel what it's like to be rejected, to be hopelessly in love with someone who will never accept your love as true! To try your best, to give your all, and _fail._ " Even filled with ferocity, his voice clearly relayed his anguish.

Marinette continued to struggle, but even as she fought she felt her will to resist start to fade. The proximity to him made her weak, physically and mentally. Her chances looked bleak: she was losing strength fast, and she didn't even know where the akuma was. _The ring? Chat's ring? (Which looks exactly the same except it's without the characteristic green pawpads, idiot! She berated herself) Can a Miraculous even_ BE _inhabited by an akuma?_

"That's it, just relax…" she heard Playboy's soothing voice whisper into her ear. She had stopped thrashing, her best efforts to resist producing mere twitches. "Now open your eyes, Princess… let me see those beautiful, bluebell eyes." Ladybug saw a glow of light, first a sliver but growing quickly, as her eyelids retracted against her will.

"Lucky Charm!" she called as a last resort, focusing all her strength on flicking her wrist to send the yo-yo spinning.

Placing a knee on her chest to keep her pinned, Playboy caught the yo-yo and slammed it into the ground, but not before it managed to summon her prize. Her hands momentarily free, she reached up and grabbed... a piece of cardstock? It was hard to discern through her half-lidded gaze as she fought the losing battle to keep her eyes closed while they willed themselves to open.

In panic, she raised the card to her face, using it as a feeble barrier between his face and hers, filling her now wide-open field of vision entirely with pink. Recognizing the color, she finally took note of the shape: a heart. _Is this… the card I wrote to Adrien on Valentine's Day?_ Her hands began to shake as she gripped the card for dear life, completely at a loss of what to do with it. She couldn't risk looking around the room for clues without risking catching his eyes and being paralyzed on the spot. She was out of time. She was at his mercy.

A beat passed in silence. Two. _Why wasn't he using his power on her?_

"Is… is that…?" Playboy's voice had lost its sinister edge and adopted an awestruck quality, sounding again like Adrien. Ladybug cautiously peeked around her heart-shaped shield to find his gaze firmly affixed to the card in her hands. As his eyes followed its movement, she held the card out to him… and _far away_ from her face.

Playboy snatched the card out of her outstretched hand in disbelief, releasing Ladybug from where he had her pinned to sit on the floor. His eyes wide with astonishment, he opened the card. Sure enough, the poem was word-for-word, the penmanship exact… the card was exactly the same as his most treasured possession save for one detail. The card that Ladybug had produced was signed with a small heart and Marinette's unmistakable, graceful signature.

"So it was actually you? Ladybug… It was really you that replied to my poem?" Playboy was staring at the card in fascination as Ladybug slowly inched away from him. Reaching into his jacket pocket, he retrieved the original for comparison. The size, shape, wording, script… even the line spacing was an exact match.

Ladybug stared at her lucky charm replica and the original card, her Valentine to Adrien _that he apparently carried around with him?_ Her heart ached for him, for the love he gave that he mistakenly thought had been unrequited. _Oh Adrien, how could I have been so blind?_ Indeed the two cards were identical, save the signature… and the color. Her designer's eye picked up the subtle difference. Although she recognized the blush pink of her card the moment she saw it, the rumpled, worn card that Adrien had pulled from his pocket was more fuchsia, as if the original had been tinted with a purple hue.

"That's it! The akuma!" Plagg cried, realizing the same distortion that had caught Ladybug's eye. "I've seen that card a million times, it's definitely tainted!"

Wasting no time, Ladybug plucked the original card from his hands and tore it in half, releasing and cleansing the dark-winged butterfly from within.

"NO!" Playboy protested, dropping the replica card and gathering the torn halves of the original. Clutching the half that had contained the writing to his chest, he sat back on his heels. Face cast down and hair falling in front of his eyes, Ladybug still saw the tears as they dropped to the ground.

 _Hold on Adrien, your pain will all be over soon!_ Picking up the discarded replica card, Ladybug threw it into the air. With her call for "Miraculous Ladybug!," the swarm of red and black magic set to restoring the world to as it should be.

As soon as she saw the ladybug swarm start to work its magic, Ladybug snuck behind Adrien's hunched form and detransformed. After all, they were in her room… how was she going to explain that? Within seconds, he was attempting to stand on shaky legs.

"What… what happened? Where am I?" Adrien felt his strength quickly returning, but was baffled at his surroundings. Wasn't he just at breakfast? Here, everything was pink, so feminine and yet somewhat familiar…

"Adrien! Oh thank goodness you're OK!" Marinette came out of nowhere, throwing her arms around his neck in an ecstatic hug.

Adrien's eyes widened in shock, but he found himself wrapping his arms around the petite girl, hugging her in return. Of course, Marinette's room! He recognized it now from the few times he had been here. But how did he get here? And why were they… uhh… hugging?

Almost as suddenly as she had pounced on him, Marinette released him, backing up and tapping her toe behind the opposite heel shyly. She grinned sheepishly. "Uh… sorry, you're probably pretty confused. But I'm just really happy you're OK!"

Adrien felt a slight blush warm his cheeks at her concern. "Yeah, I feel fine, but… what happened?" He had a growing sense of unease that Hawkmoth was on the offensive, and if that was the case, Chat Noir was likely sorely needed elsewhere.

Marinette spoke slowly, deliberately. "Well… there was an akuma…"

Adrien tried (and failed) to hide his alarm. "What?! Where? Where is Ladybug, is she OK? Did she beat it?!" Reflexively he glanced up at the skylight leading to the balcony, planning the quickest exit.

Marinette smiled. _Of course his first thought would be to protect her._ "Don't worry, she's fine Chat. The akuma is defeated, and all is well in the world."

Adrien exhaled, releasing the tension that had knotted in his shoulders. "Oh, well that's good!" He turned back to Marinette and offered her his signature, stunning smile.

"Oh my living cheese-us, you're even worse than she is!" Plagg moaned, flying into view. "Honestly if the two of you could be more oblivious, you'd forget who YOU were!"

Adrien's jaw dropped. "Plagg!—UH WHAT! What is _that_ , that cat… thing?" Adrien was aware that he did print modeling exclusively for a reason… his acting skills left a lot to be desired.

Marinette giggled lightly as Adrien's eyes flashed from his annoyed kwami to her.

"She already called you Chat, genius, and you didn't even notice!" Plagg flew to Adrien, poking his now-flaming red cheek with a tiny paw. "If you think that's embarrassing, you should ask her what you did when you were akumatized!" At this, the cat-kwami broke out into uproarious laughter.

"W-W-Wait… the akuma was… me?" Adrien tried to process all the information at once, but the gears in his mind were turning agonizingly slowly.

Recalling the events that had transpired, Marinette matched his blush. "Yeah… something about unrequited love and wanting to make people feel rejected? You were… umm," her blush deepened. "The akuma I mean, who looked just like you, was seducing women and stealing their joy."

Adrien balked at this. "Oh… well that's just…" several thoughts occurred to him at once. "So wait, does everyone know I'm Chat Noir?! Did I try to seduce Ladybug?" After a moment, he smirked. "If she already knew I was Chat, how'd she know the seductive version of me was behaving differently?"

Marinette laughed lightly at this, her embarrassment easing a bit. "No no, nobody else knows, just me. I was here when Plagg, umm… intervened? Since you two obviously knew each other it was pretty obvious at that point."

Plagg sighed. "It's been pretty obvious for a while if you ask me!"

Adrien scratched the back of his neck absent-mindedly. "Yeah, I guess a flying black cat god is kind of a give away… look, you won't, you know… tell anyone right?"

His emerald irises caught her gaze, and for a moment she swore that he had somehow retained Playboy's power. Finding her voice, she squeaked, "Of course! I m-mean, of course not, I would never!" She sighed, annoyed with the return of her stammer, before breaking out into a grin when she saw him smile.

"But Adrien, listen, about Ladybug…" Marinette thought it only fair to let him know her secret, since she had accidentally learned his when he wasn't really in control, but he cut her off before she could continue.

Closing the distance between them, Adrien took her hands in his. "Marinette, I don't know what I might have said when I was an akuma, but I… I mean Chat Noir, has known Ladybug for a long time. And honestly, I fell for her the day we defeated Stoneheart. She was so strong and courageous, intuitive and cunning, that she inspired all of Paris that day to put their faith in us. And she has been unfailingly protecting them ever since."

Marinette stared at their clasped hands, uncertain of what to say. _Yeah hate to break it to you, but your heroine isn't nearly as impressive as you think…_

"But lately, I've been thinking…" he continued hesitantly.

Marinette tensed. It would be hard enough convincing him that all the attributes of Ladybug hid inside the stammering klutz that was Marinette, and now there's a _but_?! She glanced up at him, but now his gaze was locked on their intertwined hands.

"…about how much you remind me of her. You're quick-thinking and kind, you're an awesome leader as class president, you stand up for what's right, and always put others' needs before your own. Plus you're breathtakingly beautiful. I felt awful because I thought I was only crushing on you because you remind me of Ladybug, but now… now I realize that I…" Suddenly painfully shy and afraid of rejection, Adrien couldn't get the last words out of his mouth. Would his declaration of love for her ruin their friendship forever? Or was there a chance that she might give him a chance at being more than friends? "Even if you don't return my feelings, I really hope we can stay friends. I admire you Marinette, and I honestly don't know what I'd do without you."

The silence between them stretched, his gaze riveted on their hands, treasuring this opportunity to hold them in case it would be his last.

"Oh Chaton…" her voice was quiet but full of emotion. "You can really see Ladybug… without the spots?"

He inhaled sharply upon hearing Ladybug's petname for him spoken from Marinette's mouth. Lifting his eyes slowly, he finally gazed into those beloved blue eyes unobstructed by the mask, appreciating for the first time the adorable spattering of freckles that danced across the bridge of the button nose that sat between them.

Bringing a trembling hand to her cheek, he cupped her face gently, assuring himself that this wasn't some dream or akuma-induced hallucination. "It's… it's really you?" He asked breathlessly.

Marinette stared into the jade-green depths of his eyes in disbelief that such adoration was directed at her. She felt her heart swell as tears of joy threatened to well up in her eyes. Could it be that her chivalrous, playful Chat and her kind, quiet Adrien both loved her, _all_ of her, and she didn't have to choose?

He didn't wait for her to answer before dipping his head to catch her waiting mouth with his own.

Fireworks exploded in her head as she felt his soft lips press against her own as he held her face tenderly against his palm. She responded instinctually, turning her head slightly and moving her mouth against his. She felt a soft moan rumble in her chest as his earlier invitation echoed in her memory. _He tasted like heaven_.

Dropping his hand from her face to snake behind her neck and pull her closer, Adrien parted his lips to suck gently on her lower lip. His other arm wrapped around her waist, pulling her body flush with his own. She gasped at this, breaking the kiss.

Staring down at her lovely, flushed face, overcome with his desire for her, Adrien tried to calm his mounting need. He was surprised at the intensity of his craving for her, and worried that he may have overstepped. Just as he was about to stammer out an apology, his fears were extinguished when he heard her teasing and vaguely familiar words:

"… _Do you want me, Adrien?"_

* * *

 _Author's Note: Well that's a wrap for this one! After all, their desires won't be "Unsated" for much longer. *blush* Thank you all for reading, and for your amazing reviews! This community is really phenomenal, I love that you guys are putting so much thought into the characters' motivations and struggles. That's exactly what I was hoping for! It was great to see Team Resist vs Team Succumb in the comments too! I hate to admit it, but I think I would be on Team Succumb... I am weak hahaha. Til next time! -Floof_


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